A lot happens in half a season. Ups, downs, streaks of happiness, lethargy.
• Also read: Canadians: 7 things that need to be fixed to get 'the game' into the playoffs
How do you navigate all of this? The Journal attempted to take on the challenge of summing up the first half of the season for 15 Habs players in a single word. It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue in the second part of the calendar.
With the level of play typically rising in this second half, nothing is less certain.
Be continued.
metronome
Nick Suzuki
He's hitting a pace of nearly a point per game. Because of his reliability in the face-off circle, his decision-making ability and his vision of the game, Martin St-Louis shows him that he can take action both when outnumbered and in massive attack.
Photo Martin Chevalier
sacrifice
David Savard
Not only does he bring stability to the Canadian's defensive brigade, but he also doesn't hesitate to replace the team's goalkeepers by blocking some of his shots himself. In 19 games, he sacrificed his body 61 times and even suffered a broken arm while throwing himself into the line of fire.
Photo AFP
Leader
Brendan Gallagher
After scoring five goals in his first 14 games, he was eliminated in the next 24 games. Although it lasted almost two months, few people resented this shortage. How can you blame an athlete who sweats blood and water for his teammates and rushes into the opposing goalkeeper's semicircle game after game?
Photo Martin Chevalier
Model
Mike Matheson
Matheson is the first massive attacking unit, the first penalty killing unit and continues to be the player used most often by St-Louis (25 minutes and 7 seconds). He is in second place in the team standings (29 points), five behind Nick Suzuki.
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Busy
Josh Anderson
He had to wait until the 30th game of the season before he beat a goalie for the first time this season. Despite the frustration and the negative impact on confidence, this drought didn't stop him from giving it his all night after night.
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Future
Kaiden Guhle
He continues to progress and learn. He is becoming more and more solid defensively. He is laying the foundation for becoming the team's most reliable fullback.
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Hope
Cole Caufield
He scores a rate of around twenty goals. This is far from what we predicted. He still remains the one on whom the Canadian's hopes rest in attack. You never know when a marker of your caliber will be unlocked.
Photo Martin Chevalier
Resurrected
Sean Monahan
He's the one St-Louis can insert anywhere in the first three lines. Aside from a two-week slump in November, he has shown good consistency. It will be interesting to see how Kent Hughes evaluates his contribution relative to his value in the market.
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Progress
Juraj Slafkovsky
We wondered if he should start the season in Laval and here he is closing the first half of the season with the first trio. He now has much more confidence in his abilities. This shows in his decision making. He also uses his physicality more in the attacking area. Now he just has to decide to shoot more often.
Photo Martin Chevalier
whooping cough
Samuel Montembeault
He impressed Canadiens fans with his skills in front of the net. Just like the team management, which unofficially named him their starting goalkeeper and extended his contract for three more seasons. We are talking about meteoric progress for the 27-year-old goalkeeper, which, it should be remembered, was acquired through a waiver.
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Angry
Mike Pezzetta
He doesn't step on the ice often, but he makes sure to get noticed every time he appears. He brings energy to his team by body checking. It has 27.15 per 60 minutes. Which is astronomical.
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epiphany
Jayden Struble
He adapted to the caliber of the NHL in a very short time. Defensively solid, he also shows some offensive talent at times. It's worth remembering that without Arber Xhekaj's injury, we probably wouldn't have seen him this season.
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Surprise
Justin Barron
Since he didn't play in the first three games of the season, he made sure he never left the lineup again. He slowly gains confidence and no longer hesitates to attack. His offensive talent allowed him to secure a spot in the second wave of the massive attack.
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Trust
Jake Evans
Injuries to Dach, Newhook and Dvorak forced St. Louis to move him to offense. He doesn't cross the top scorer list more often, but that doesn't stop him from continuing to carry out his defensive duties.
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disappointment
Joel Armia
A frustrating player to watch. He has a good physique, good skating and a good shot. But all too often he chooses to leave those assets in the locker room. This explains his two American League firings in October and November.
Photo Martin Chevalier